A passenger car having a rigid roof part, which is guided in the side roof frame and is movable into the rear area, and an at least partly lowerable rear window pane part, which is guided into its closed position between so-called C-pillar sections of the roof frame, is known from DE 198 51 231 A1. The rigid roof part of the passenger car is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. When opening the roof with this arrangement, the rear window pane part is initially brought into an at least partly lowered, and thus at least partly opened, position. For this purpose, the rear window pane part is further displaceable or relocateable in the direction of the rear area of the passenger car in guide rails provided on the inner sides of the C-pillar sections. In a further step, the roof part is then opened. For this purpose, the roof part will displace starting from its closed position rearwardly, i.e. in the rear area of the passenger car, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Roof part sections, which laterally border on the roof part along the forward driving direction of the vehicle in the closed position thereof, are ultimately removable by bringing the roof part sections into the area of the C-pillar sections, so that a so-called Targa version of the passenger car is formed. When moving the roof part into the opened position, the roof part is guided in the area of its forward edge in a guide rail provided on the face plate of the roof part sections of the roof frame and with its rear edge guided in a sliding path that is affixed on the inner side of the C-pillar section. In addition, for opening, the roof part can be slightly pivoted about a rotational axis extending traverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. When the roof part contacts the guide rail, in so far as it does not somehow move completely within the guide rail over the entire opening movement, a directional change of the movement path of the roof part will not be caused. In fact, the movement proceeds continuously.
A vehicle roof structure is known from DE 100 01 941 C1, in which a folding- and/or sun-roof is displaceably guided in the area of side bars between an A-pillar and a B-pillar of the vehicle, as well as in a position behind these pillars. The side bars are detachably connected with the A-pillar and the B-pillar and can be transferred by means of a mechanism into a storage space in the area of a rear shelf of the vehicle. For the transfer of the side bars, a linkage kinematic is provided, which produces a movement path for the side bars; the movement path consists of a pivoting component between the side bar being disposed in its position between the A-pillar and B-pillar and the side bar being disposed its position in the storage space lying substantially in a vertical plane and of a rotating component, which corresponds to the rotational displacement of the side bar by approximately 90° from its location between the A-pillar and B-pillar into its traverse position in the storage space.
DE 100 20 663 C2 concerns a roof construction for a motor vehicle having an upwardly liftable roof. This upwardly liftable roof, which is designed as a hard shell top or hard top, consists of a first, forward roof part and a second, rear roof part. The forward roof part is connected with a main bearing affixed to the vehicle body via a first linkage connection formed as a 4-bar linkage. The rear roof part is connected with a second 4-bar linkage as a linked connection with a main bearing part affixed to the vehicle body. An electronic drive or a hydraulic drive are optionally provided for moving the linkage mechanism.
In DE 102 54 366, which is not yet published as of the application filing date, a Targa-vehicle is described that comprises at least one forward roof part that is capable of opening. Multiple movable roof parts are also possible. Outer areas of the roof part can be pivoted in onto the middle roof part about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, so that the width of the movable roof part is reduced. The movable roof part is movably held vis-à-vis the vehicle body by means of a linkage. The connecting rods of the linkage are guided in slot recesses that lie parallel to the fins of the fin roof and essentially extend over their entire length. The linkage, which is moved e.g. by an electronic or hydraulic drive device, is supported on one end affixed to the vehicle body and engages with the free end on the connecting rod. The connecting rod, which is likewise supported on one end and affixed to the vehicle, acts on the other connecting rod via intermediate levers, so that a multiple-bar linkage is formed, with which initially an essentially linear shifting of the roof part to its opening is possible.
A Targa-vehicle is known from DE 102 54 365, which is not yet published as of the application filing date, in which outer-lying areas of a roof part can be moved with respect to a middle area, so that the movable roof part is variable between a reduced width and a normal width and in the reduced width is movable between its opened- and closed position. The pivotal displacement of the side roof parts is effected by the multi-bar linkage, with the aid of which the outer-lying areas are not only pivoted in, but are also simultaneously lifted. The middle area of the roof part comprises an independent linkage, on which the middle area is movably held vis-à-vis the vehicle body. Connecting rods are guided in slot grooves, which lie parallel to the fins and essentially extend over its entire length. For loading of the roof part into the rear area, a rear roof part pivots up about an axis extending essentially perpendicular to the forward driving direction of the vehicle.